High-lead block



G. FRINK. HIGH mp BLOCK. APPLICATION HLEDJUNE 21, 192 0 1,381,41 0. Patented June 14, 1921.

PATENT OFFICE.

GERALD FRINK, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

p HIGH-LEAD BLOCK.

Application filed June 21, 1920. Serial No.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GERALD F RINK, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of the cityof Seattle, in the county of King and State. of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in High-Lead Blocks, of which the foll owing is a specification.

Iy invention relates to blocks and the means for suspending them, particularly to blocks of the kind which are employed in logging operations and are called high lead blocks.

'The object of my invention is to provide means for using a supplemental or safety support for these blocks which normally does not materially support the weight or the strain upon the block, but which is designed to be brought into use to support the block in case the nor al support should give way.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown a block which illustrates the manner of applying my invention, and in the following specification I will describe the construction therein shown. and set forth the principles of my invention, and in the claims which terminate this specification I will particularly point out the parts which I believe to be novel and upon which I desire to obtain a patent. Thedrawing is a perspective, showing a partof the head mast or tree and the block secured thereto, together with the safety or supplemental support which forms the subject matter of my present invention.

In logging as carried on in the heavy forests of the Pacific Northwest, the system known as the highlead, and the sky line, have practically displaced all others. Each of these systems have one point in common, namely the use of a sheave placed at a high elevation upon a mast tree through which passed the cabl'e or line by which the log is brought to the loading station.

These high lead sheaves are very heavy often weighing 1200 pounds or more and being secured upon the mast tree at an elevation of 17 5 or 200 feet. A consideration of these facts will clearly indicate the great possibility of danger if any part of the support for the sheave should break and permlt it to fall. This is particularly evident when it is known that the loading outfit is always located close to the base of the head mast.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 14, 1921.

Fatal accidents caused by falling blocks are not uncommon.

To minimize this danger I propose to provide such blocks with means whereby a secondary support may be provided, which will be brought into action only in case of failure of the normal support.

The mast tree is trimmed of its branches and its tip cut off, leaving only a mast, 1, standing. Close to the top of this is secured the block 3 as by a sling 10 which passes about the tree. This is connected, usually b a clevis 11 and swivel 12 to the head 6. The latter is connected with ears, as 31 of the block sides, by pins 60. The above represents the usual means employed for securing the block.

A mast employed in this manner must be guyed. 2, 2, represent two guys which are connected with the mast above where the block is secured. As I have shown my invention installed, these have been used as the support or attachment for the supplemental or secondary support for the block.

The block is provided with means where by supplemental supporting chains or cables may be attached thereto. I prefer to do this so that the attachment of these secondary supports is as directly as possible to the block sides, thereby relying in no way upon the normal suspension means. Such points for connecting the emergency suspension means should be inward of the normal suspension connections; that is, between such normal suspension connections and the main body of the blocks,'or so that if the normal suspension connection should fail by the carrying away of the ears 31, the emergency connections would not be disturbed.

As shown in the present drawing this is secured by the use of eye bolts 4 having eyes 40 for the reception of pins of clevises secured to short cables 5. Like clevises 50 secured to the other ends of cables 5 embrace the guy lines 2. It is evident that chains or other suspending members may be used for this purpose and the means employed for securing them may be. anything found suit able.

lVhileT consider securing the supplemental supporting lines to the guy lines as a desirable means of attachment, for the reason that these would give somewhat if a sudden strain were brought upon them, thereby avoiding breaking of the supplemental supporting lines, they may be secured to any suitable support.

The line 7 is the haul line.-- It leads from the head tree in directions which radiate therefrom. It leads from the block down to the engine which is set not far from the head tree.

It is evident that if the normal support for the block should break, the supplemental supports would take the weight and prevent it from falling.

When the supplemental supporting means are secured directly to the block sides and inwardly of the normal supporting connection, they will act to support the block, whatever part of the normal supporting means may break. It is also preferable that all attaching means he kept within the side faces of the block, so that there will be no projection likely to engage the tree. When the lines 5 are secured in opposite relation, as is shown in the drawings, and are extended oppositely to separated supports, they act somewhat to steady the block.

hat I claim as my invention is:

1. A pulley block having means for the normal suspension thereof and separate means independent thereof adapted for securing emergency supporting members thereto.

' 2. A block having a suspension member connecting its sides at their upper edge and means for securing an emergency supporting member to each block side independently v of said suspension member.

3. A block having a suspension shackle connecting its sides and having separate means for securing emergency supports directly to its sides.

4:. A high-lead block having means whereby it is normally suspended and separate means 'for securing emergency supports thereto comprising eyes at the edges of the block sides adjacent to and independent of the means by which the block is normally hung.

5. A high-lead block having means by which it is normally suspended and also having bolt-receiving sockets in the upper part of the block sides which are independent ofthe normal suspension means and are adapted to receive emergency suspension connections.

6. A high-lead block having means by which it may be suspended and having means for independently securing supplemental or safety suspension members thereto, said means being located within the outer side faces of the block sides.

7. A high-lead block having means by which it may be suspended and having additional and separate means for securing safety suspension members thereto, said latter means being located within the outer side faces of the block sides, and adjacent to the point of securing the normal suspension means thereto.

8. A block having its side frame members provided with ears by which it is normally suspended and between said ears and the main body of the frame provided with means for securing thereto of emergency supporting means.

- 9. A block having side frames each provided with a long boss extendingin substantially tangential position thereto and bored to receive a bolt, eye bolts in said bores, suspending ears extending outwardly from the central portion of said boss and a shackle connecting said ears of the two sides.

10. The combination with a high lead block provided with two independent means for the securing of suspension members thereto, a suspension member secured to one of said suspension means and to the mast and normally supporting the block, and emergency supporting members secured to the other suspension means of the block and having supporting connection from the mast, said latter connection being normally of a slack character to thereby give no material support to the block until the other normal supporting means are broken.

Signed at Seattle, King c0unty,,Washington, this 15th day of June, 1920.

' GERALD FRINK. 

